Mirror assembly

ABSTRACT

An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a casing having a human machine interface thereat. The human machine interface includes at least one user actuatable input integrally formed at a portion of the casing during the molding operation that forms the casing. The mirror assembly includes circuitry. The user actuatable input may be actuatable by a user to operate at least one element of the circuitry. The human machine interface may be at least partially at a bezel portion of the casing, or may be at least partially at a rear casing portion of the mirror casing.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims benefit of U.S. provisional applications,Ser. No. 60/535,559, filed Jan. 9, 2004; Ser. No. 60/553,517, filed Mar.16, 2004; and Ser. No. 60/556,259, filed Mar. 25, 2004, and is acontinuation-in-part of PCT Application No. PCT/US2004/015424, filed May18, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, whichclaims benefit of U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/471,546,filed May 19, 2003; Ser. No. 60/525,537, filed Nov. 26, 2003; and Ser.No. 60/556,259, filed Mar. 25, 2004, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to rearview mirror assembliesfor vehicles and, more particularly, to interior rearview mirrorassemblies having user actuatable inputs or actuators or buttons foractuating or controlling one or more accessories of the vehicle ormirror assembly or accessory module or the like. Aspects of the presentinvention are equally suitable for application to a windshieldelectronics module or accessory module or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to provide buttons or inputs along a bezel portion of aninterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle. The buttons may bedepressed by a user to actuate corresponding switches, such as switchesmounted on a printed circuit board within the mirror assembly.Typically, the buttons are formed on a flexible keypad that is placed atthe bezel portion such that the buttons extend through apertures oropenings formed through the bezel portion of the mirror assembly, suchas disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,387, issued to Skiver et al., whichis hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Typically, the mirror manufacturer may purchase or obtain the bezelportion of the mirror assembly from a supplier, or may make it in abezel fabrication operation, such as a molding operation. The bezelportion may have openings or apertures therethrough, such as in a chinarea of the bezel. The mirror manufacturer may also purchase or obtain aprinted circuit board from another suppler, or may make such internally.The printed circuit board (PCB) typically includes small switches foractuating or controlling or adjusting an accessory of the mirrorassembly or vehicle. The printed circuit board is often positioned tothe rear of the reflective element and within the mirror casing. Aflexible keypad or buttons may be positioned so as to protrude throughthe openings in the bezel when the bezel is attached to the casing toassemble the mirror assembly. The bezel may be assembled to the mirrorcasing, with the reflective element and printed circuit board positionedwithin the mirror assembly, and with the keypad or buttons positioned atthe corresponding switches on the printed circuit board and aligned withand/or at least partially protruding through the corresponding openingsin the bezel. The buttons may then be depressed to actuate the switcheson the printed circuit board.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an interior rearview mirror assembly orwindshield electronics/accessory module that includes at least one useractuatable control, such as a manual or user input or button or actuatoror the like, integrally formed with the bezel of the mirror assemblywhen the bezel is being formed, such as in a molding operation.Alternately, the user input or actuator may be integrally formed withthe casing or housing of the windshield electronics/accessory modulewhen the casing or housing is being formed, such as in a moldingoperation. The user input or actuator or actuators thus are formed withor integrally formed with the bezel or casing in the same fabricationoperation, such as a bezel molding operation, in order to ease theassembly process of the mirror assembly or windshieldelectronics/accessory module. When assembled into the interior rearviewmirror assembly or windshield electronics/accessory module, useractuation of the actuator or actuators preferably in turn causes switchactuation of a switch device of an electrical circuit of the interiorrearview mirror assembly or windshield electronics/accessory module.Preferably, such switches are PCB mountable microswitches that aremounted on a printed circuit board (PCB), typically along with otherelectronic components and circuitry, that may be supplied to theinterior mirror assembler, such as by an electronics manufacturer.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an interior rearviewmirror assembly for a vehicle includes a casing having a human machineinterface thereat. The human machine interface comprises at least oneuser actuatable input integrally formed at a portion of the casingduring the molding operation that forms the casing. The mirror assemblyincludes circuitry. The user actuatable input is actuatable by a user tooperate at least one element of the circuitry.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an interiorrearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a casing having a bezelportion and a printed circuit board positioned within the casing. Thebezel portion includes at least one user input or actuator, such as abutton or toggle input/actuator or the like, integrally formed therewithin a molding operation. When the mirror assembly is assembled, the userinput preferably is positioned at and configured to actuate acorresponding switch or switches at the printed circuit board.

The user input may comprise a portion of the bezel and may flex toactuate the switch at the printed circuit board. Optionally, the userinput may comprise an insert portion that is insert molded within aportion of the bezel while the bezel portion is being formed, such as bya molding operation. The insert portion may be flexible to actuate theswitch at the printed circuit board. Optionally, the insert portion maybe at least partially transparent or semi-transparent or translucent,and may be back lit by an illumination source or light source at theprinted circuit board. The user input or insert portion may includeicons or indicia or the like formed or printed thereon to indicate thefunction of the corresponding switch at the printed circuit board.Alternately or additionally, the user input or insert portion may bemolded of a material or decorated with or made of a material that is adifferent color (or may be printed or colored with a different color)than that of the bezel itself. Optionally, the button or input may havea different textural surface if desired.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method ofmanufacturing an interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicleincludes providing a mold cavity for forming a bezel of the mirrorassembly and integrally molding at least a portion of a user input oractuator with the bezel portion during the molding process. In one form,the bezel portion is molded around pins or inserts or walls or the likethat partially separate a molded user input portion or actuator portionfrom the bezel portion during the molding process. In another form, auser input portion is insert molded at least partially within the bezelportion during the molding process. The user input portion is thusintegrally formed with the bezel portion during the molding process. Thebezel (with the integrally molded user input portion) may be assembledto a mirror casing such that the user input portion may be positioned atone or more corresponding switches on a printed circuit board within themirror casing. When the mirror is assembled, the user input portion mayflex (such as in response to a user input, such as pressing the userinput portion) relative to the bezel portion to actuate the switch atthe printed circuit board.

Preferably, the bezel, with integrated inputs/actuators, is formed via asingle shot molding process. However, the bezel, with integratedinputs/actuators, may be formed via a two shot molding process or othermolding or forming process, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention.

Optionally, aspects of the present invention may be equally suited forapplication to a windshield electronics module or accessory module orthe like. For example, one or more user inputs or actuators or buttonsor toggles may be integrally formed or molded with a casing or housingor portion thereof of a windshield electronics module or accessorymodule or pod or the like during the molding of the casing or housing,without affecting the scope of the present invention.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an interiorrearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a casing, a printedcircuit board positioned within the casing, and at least one user inputor actuator, such as a toggle or switch or lever or the like. The userinput extends generally along a portion of the printed circuit board andextends through an opening in the casing and outward from said casing sothat a user may access and actuate or toggle the user input between anactuated position or orientation and a non-actuated position ororientation. When the user input is depressed or actuated by a user, theuser input moves to the actuated position and contacts a switch at theprinted circuit board. A biasing member or cushioning member ispositioned within the casing to engage the user input and generallymaintain the user input in the non-actuated position when the user inputis released.

The user input may comprise a plastic or polymeric member that may beformed to contact the printed circuit board at one end and to contactthe mirror casing at a location remote from the one end, and may bespaced from the switch when in the non-actuated position. When the userinput is pressed or moved by a user, the casing limits movement of theuser input, and the printed circuit board limits pivoting of the userinput at the one end, whereby the user input may flex to contact andengage and actuate the switch. When the user input is released, thebiasing or cushioning member limits pivotal movement of the user inputaway from the printed circuit board.

Optionally, an illumination source, such as a light emitting diode (LED)or the like, may be positioned at the printed circuit board toilluminate at least a portion of the user input that is visible to anoccupant of the vehicle. The user input may comprise a light pipe, suchthat illumination from an illumination source at one end of the userinput or lever is transmitted along the user input to illuminate theopposite end of the user input that is viewable by an occupant of thevehicle. The exposed end portion of the user input thus may beilluminated via an illumination source positioned within the mirrorcasing to illuminate the text or graphics or icons or the like on theuser input during low lighting conditions, such as at nighttime.

Therefore, the present invention provides a manual or user input oractuator or button or toggle that is integrally molded or formed withthe bezel of an interior rearview mirror assembly or that is insertmolded in the bezel during the molding of the bezel. The actuator isintegrally formed with the bezel so that a separate keypad or otherbuttons need not be assembled or positioned at the bezel during theassembly of the mirror assembly. The bezel (with the integrally formedor molded or insert molded toggle or button or actuator or the like) maybe attached to a reflective element and/or printed circuit board and/ormirror casing, such that the actuator is positioned at or aligned with acorresponding PCB-mounted switch at the printed circuit board within themirror assembly. The present invention thus provides enhancedmanufacturing and assembly of an interior rearview mirror assembly. Theactuator may include an insert portion that is insert molded with thebezel and that may be flexible to facilitate actuation of the PCB switchat the printed circuit board. The input or actuator or insert may bebacklit or otherwise illuminated and/or may have icons or indicia or thelike printed or formed thereon. The inputs or actuators may beintegrally molded or formed with a casing portion of an interiorrearview mirror assembly or of a windshield electronics module or of anaccessory module or the like during molding of the casing portion,without affecting the scope of the present invention. Optionally, theuser input may be positioned partially within the casing and may pivotand/or flex to contact and actuate the switch or switches at the printedcircuit board. The user input thus may comprise a low cost plastic orpolymeric lever or member that may be readily positioned within thecasing during assembly of the rearview mirror assembly.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of an interior rearview mirror assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 1A is a sectional view of the interior rearview mirror assemblytaken along the line A—A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 1B is a sectional view of the interior rearview mirror assemblytaken along the line B—B in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of another interior rearview mirror assemblyin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a sectional view of the interior rearview mirror assemblytaken along the line A—A in FIG. 2, showing an actuator or input of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2B is another sectional view similar to FIG. 2A of another actuatoror input of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of another interior rearview mirror assemblyin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3A is a sectional view of the interior rearview mirror assemblytaken along the line A—A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3B is a sectional view of the interior rearview mirror assemblytaken along the line B—B in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3C is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3B of another actuator orinput of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of another interior rearview mirror assemblytaken generally along a centerline of a user input or actuator of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 of another rearview mirrorassembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5, with a push pad portion ofthe user input or actuator depressed to actuate the PCB switch inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of another actuator or input integrallyformed with a bezel in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of another interior rearview mirrorassembly incorporating a human machine interface in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of another interior rearview mirror assemblytaken generally along a centerline of a user input or actuator of thepresent invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a lower portion of the mirror assemblyof FIG. 9, showing the user inputs or actuators at the lower portion;

FIG. 11 is a front elevation of the user inputs of FIGS. 9 and 10,viewing forwardly in a direction of travel of the vehicle;

FIG. 12 is a front elevation of another rearview mirror assembly,showing a compass display in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a front elevation of another rearview mirror assembly,showing another compass display in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 14 is a front elevation of another rearview mirror assembly,showing another compass display in accordance with the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, an interior rearview mirror assembly 10 includes a casing orhousing, which may include a bezel portion 12, and a reflective element14, and a human machine interface (HMI) that includes at least one userinput or user actuatable input or actuator 16, such as a button ortoggle or the like at the bezel 12 of the casing or elsewhere at thecasing of the mirror assembly (FIGS. 1, 1A and 1B). User actuatableinputs 16 are integrally formed with bezel 12, such as at a chin portion12 a of bezel 12 (or elsewhere around the bezel, such as at an eyebrowportion 12 b of the bezel or on the sides 12 c of the bezel or thelike), during the molding of the bezel. Mirror assembly 10 includes atleast one electronic element or switch 18, which may be positionedwithin the mirror casing. For example, the element or switch 18 maycomprise a PCB-mountable microswitch that may be mounted on or at aprinted circuit board (PCB) 20 or the like positioned within the mirrorcasing. PCB elements or switch or switches 18 are positioned generallybehind a respective user input 16, such that the user input or button 16may be actuated or depressed to actuate the respective switch when thebezel 12 is attached to the mirror casing, as discussed below.

The PCB electronic elements or switches 18 are operable or actuatable toactivate/deactivate or adjust or control or operate an electricalaccessory or component or feature or the like (such as the accessoriesor systems discussed below) associated with the printed circuit board orwith the rearview mirror assembly or with the vehicle. The accessory orcomponent or feature may be incorporated onto the printed circuit board20 or may be positioned elsewhere in or at the mirror assembly orelsewhere in or at the vehicle, such as in an accessory module orwindshield electronics module or the like, such as an accessorymodule/windshield electronics module of the type described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,250,148; 6,341,523; 6,593,565; and6,326,613; and/or U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 10/958,087, filedOct. 4, 2004 by Schofield et al. for VEHICLE ACCESSORY MODULE, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,188,963, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No.60/420,560, filed Oct. 23, 2002; Ser. No. 60/398,346, filed Jul. 24,2002; Ser. No. 60/381,314, filed May 17, 2002; Ser. No. 60/374,724,filed Apr. 23, 2002; Ser. No. 60/364,008, filed Mar. 14, 2002; Ser. No.60/350,965, filed Jan. 31, 2002; and/or Ser. No. 60/522,123, filed Aug.18, 2004 by DeWard for ACCESSORY MODULE FOR VEHICLE, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference. Optionally, the user input orbuttons or interfaces may be integrally formed or molded at a casing orhousing of an accessory module or windshield electronics module or thelike and may be actuatable or depressible to actuate an electronicswitch incorporated into the accessory module or windshield electronicsmodule or the like, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention.

Optionally, the user inputs of the human machine interface may beactuatable to control or operate or activate/deactivate a telematicssystem of the vehicle, such as an ONSTAR® system of the vehicle or thelike (such as found in General Motors vehicles and such as described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 4,862,594; 4,937,945; 5,131,154; 5,255,442; 5,632,092;5,798,688; 5,971,552; 5,924,212; 6,243,003; 6,278,377; 6,420,975;6,477,464; and/or 6,678,614; and/or U.S. patent applications, Ser. No.10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003 by Weller et al. for INTERIOR REARVIEWMIRROR SYSTEM WITH COMPASS, now U.S Pat. No. 7,004,593; Ser. No.10/645,762, filed Aug. 20, 2003 by Taylor et al. for VEHICLE NAVIGATIONSYSTEM FOR USE WITH A TELEMATICS SYSTEM, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,167,796;Ser. No. 10/422,378, filed Apr. 24, 2003 by Schofield for IMAGING SYSTEMFOR VEHICLE, now U.S Pat. No. 6,946,978; Ser. No. 10/964,512, filed Oct.13, 2004 by Schofield et al. for VEHICLE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM; and/orSer. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004 by Lynam for MIRROR REFLECTIVEELEMENT FOR A VEHICLE; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filedDec. 19, 2003 by Donnelly Corporation et al. for ACCESSORY SYSTEM FORVEHICLE, and published on Jul. 15, 2004 as PCT publication No. WO2004/058540 A2, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/030877, filed Oct.1, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. for MICROPHONE SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, andpublished on Apr. 15, 2004 as PCT Publication No. WO 2004/032568 A1,(which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference). In priorsystems (such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,362, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference), non-integrally formed user interfaceshave been used at a mirror assembly for a vehicle. The user inputs ofthe human machine interface of the present invention provides anenhanced system and is more readily implemented for use in interiorrearview mirror assemblies and/or accessory modules and/or the like,than the user inputs or interfaces of the known systems or assemblies.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 1A and 1B, each user input 16 of the human machineinterface may be formed as part of or integral with the chin portion 12a of bezel 12 during the molding of the bezel. For example, user input16 may comprise a user actuated portion or a body portion or buttonportion or push pad portion 16 a that may be movable (such as via auser's finger pressing against the button portion) relative to bezel 12via flexing of one or more tabs or connecting elements 16 b, in order toactuate the element or switch 18. The button portion 16 a may includetext or graphics or icons or other indicia printed or formed thereon toindicate to a user what the function of the button is or what accessoryor feature the button controls. Optionally, the button portion 16 a mayhave a different exterior surface texture to differentiate the buttonportion from the chin portion 12 a of the bezel 12. As shown in FIG. 1,the flexible tabs or connecting elements 16 b may be narrow elements orportions at opposite ends of (or elsewhere around or partially around)the button portion, such that the button portion may be pressed inwardby a user and the flexible tabs or elements may flex to allow inwardmovement of the button portion to activate the element or switch 18. Asshown in FIG. 1B, the button portion 16 a may have a pin or arm orextension 16 c that extends inward toward the element or switch 18, suchthat as button portion 16 a is pressed inward, pin 16 c engages andactuates the element or switch 18 at printed circuit board 20.Typically, the button is only depressed or moved a short distance, suchas approximately ¼ mm to approximately 1 mm or thereabouts, to actuatethe PCB switch with the pin or extension.

Button portion 16 a may be integrally formed or molded with bezel 12during molding of the bezel and, thus, may comprise the same material,such as polypropylene or the like, and may be formed by inserts or pinsor walls or portions or the like positioned within the mold cavity todefine a gap 17 between button portion 16 a and chin portion 12 a ofbezel 12 after the bezel is molded and cooled and cured. The gap 17 maybe defined substantially around button portion 16 a except at the tabsor connecting elements 16 b, such that the button portion 16 a may moverelative to bezel 12 as tabs 16 b flex or bend. As shown in FIGS. 1A and1B, button portion 16 a may include inward extending portions or lips oredges 16 d that extend inward along bezel 12 to provide structuralrigidity to the button portion 16 a and/or to provide an enhancedappearance to the button portion and the bezel by partially closing thegap or gaps 17 to limit visibility through the gaps. Optionally, the gapor gaps 17 may be small enough or minimal to limit visibilitytherethrough to enhance the appearance of the mirror assembly.Optionally, the button portion 16 a may be formed to be thick enough tobe substantially rigid or non-flexible.

User input or inputs 16 thus may be integrally formed with the bezel ofthe mirror assembly, such that an additional keypad or set of buttons orthe like need not be aligned with and/or inserted into the appropriateopenings in the bezel and held in place during the assembly process.Optionally, the integrally formed bezel and user inputs (and thereflective element and printed circuit board) may comprise a bezelassembly 11 (FIGS. 1A and 1B) that may be secured to or attached to themirror casing to form the mirror assembly. Optionally, the bezel portionmay comprise a unitary or one-piece bezel portion (preferably moldedfrom a thermoplastic resin, such as polypropylene or the like), whichreceives the reflective element therein. Optionally, the reflectiveelement (and optionally a toggle assembly for a prismatic mirrorassembly) may be secured into place in the bezel while the molded bezel(preferably the freshly molded bezel portion) is still warm and pliable,such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,371, issued to Wood et al.,which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. When the molded bezelportion (preferably the freshly molded bezel portion and thus justexiting the injection molding press, or alternately, and less desirably,a heated bezel portion having been heated, such as in an oven or thelike, to make the bezel portion warm and pliable) cools and shrinks, thebezel portion grips around the reflective element (and toggle assembly)to retain the reflective element (and toggle assembly) in the mirrorassembly. The assembled bezel assembly then may be snapped into orotherwise attached to the casing to complete the mirror assembly.Optionally, however, the bezel and user inputs may be integrally formedduring a molding process, and the bezel may be attached to the casing(which may include or house or contain the reflective element andprinted circuit board) to assemble the mirror assembly. Optionally, theuser inputs may be integrally formed elsewhere on the mirror assembly,such as on or in the casing of the mirror assembly. The user inputs thusmay be integrally formed in a bezel portion or in a casing portion orhousing portion of the mirror assembly, without affecting the scope ofthe present invention. Optionally, the mirror assembly may compriseother types of casings or bezel portions or the like, such as describedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,439,755; 4,826,289; 6,756,912; and 6,501,387; and/orU.S. patent applications, Ser. No. 10/933,842, filed Sep. 3, 2004 byKulas et al. for INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY; Ser. No. 10/993,302,filed Nov. 19, 2004 by Lynam for MIRROR REFLECTIVE ELEMENT FOR AVEHICLE; and/or Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by McCabe etal. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forMIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, and published on Dec. 2, 2004 as PCTPublication No. WO 2004/103772 A2, and/or U.S. provisional applications,Ser. No. 60/471,546, filed May 19, 2003; Ser. No. 60/525,537, filed Nov.26, 2003; and Ser. No. 60/556,259, filed Mar. 25, 2004, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference.

The casing of the mirror assembly thus may include a bezel portion thatattaches to or snaps to the rear casing portion, with the human machineinterface at the bezel portion of the casing or elsewhere at the casing.The reflective element may be disposed within the casing, such as at thebezel portion of the casing. For example, for a prismatic mirrorassembly, the bezel portion and the rest of the casing can be moldedaround the reflective element, or a separate bezel portion can be madeand the reflective element attached thereto, and a cap portion or rearcasing portion may be attached to the bezel portion, the combinationforming the casing, such as by utilizing aspects disclosed in PCTApplication No. PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004 by Donnelly Corp.et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, and published on Dec. 2, 2004 asPCT Publication No. WO 2004/103772 A2, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference.

The bezel or casing, including the user input or inputs, thus may beformed of the same polymeric and/or resinous material, and may be formedduring the same molding process that forms the bezel portion and/orcasing. The narrowed tabs 16 b of the inputs may connect the inputs tothe bezel or casing, and may flex or function as a living hinge to allowmovement of the button portion 16 a relative to the bezel or casing sothat the user input may move to actuate or operate the element or switchwithin the mirror assembly. Optionally, the user actuatable inputs maycomprise plastic or polymeric or resinous inputs that are moved toactuate or operate the element or switch of the circuitry, or the useractuatable input may house or contain a touch sensor or proximity sensorelement (such as the types described below) within a portion of the useractuatable input (such as a proximity sensor insert molded within thebutton portion or body portion of the user actuatable input), withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention.

Thus, for example, the human machine interface or user interface may beintegrally molded during the formation of the mirror casing and/or bezelportion of the casing (for applications where the casing consists of,for example, a bezel portion that snaps or attaches to a rear casing orhousing portion to form the mirror casing). For example, the likes of aproximity sensor and/or other sensor or user input or accessory orentity may be placed into an injection mold and molten plastic polymericresinous material may be injected (or otherwise disposed or introduced)into the mold to integrally mold or form or join or integrate the bezelportion or casing portion and the entity (such as described above)inserted or placed in the mold tool during the same molding process.After the resinous material has cooled/cured and the part is removedfrom the mold, the user actuatable input is integral with the casing orbezel portion.

The interior rearview mirror assembly may be adjustably mounted to aninterior surface or portion of the vehicle, such as to an interiorsurface of the vehicle windshield or to a header portion of the vehicleor the like, and such as via any mounting arm and button or any othermounting arrangement, such as via the mounting assemblies or mountingarrangements of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,318,870;5,671,996; 5,813,745; 5,673,994; 5,820,097; 5,708,410; 5,576,687;5,521,760; 5,330,149; 5,100,095; 5,058,851; 4,930,742; 4,936,533;4,436,371; 4,524,941; 4,435,042; and/or 4,646,210, and/or U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/609,642, filed Sep. 14, 2004; Ser.No. 60/624,091, filed Nov. 1, 2004; and Ser. No. 60/638,250, filed Dec.21, 2004, which are all hereby incorporated by reference herein.Referring now to FIGS. 2, 2A and 2B, a human machine interface includesat least one user actuatable input or actuator or button 116 of aninterior rearview mirror assembly 110. The user input or inputs may beintegrally formed or molded with a bezel 112 during the molding of thebezel, and may include a button portion 116 a and one or more flexibletabs or connecting elements 116 b, similar to the user input 16 ofmirror assembly 10, discussed above. User input 116 may include anactuator insert 122 that may be insert molded at and partially in buttonportion 116 a, as best shown in FIG. 2A. User input 116 is otherwisesimilar to user input 16, described above, and includes a pin or arm orextension 116 c for actuating an element or switch 118 on a printedcircuit board 120. Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 2B, theactuator insert 122′ may include the pin or arm or extension 122 c foractuating the element or switch 118 when the button portion 116 a′ isdepressed.

Actuator insert 122 may be any desired shape and may include a panelportion or viewable portion 122 a and a tab or insert portion 122 b thatis insert molded within button portion 116 a to retain insert 122 onbutton portion 116 a, as best shown in FIG. 2A. The insert portions 122b may extend outwardly from the panel portion 122 a and may bepositioned within a portion of the mold cavity during molding of thebezel, such that the bezel is molded around the insert portions toadhere to or bond to the insert portions, and/or the insert portions areotherwise retained in the inputs and bezel portion, such as bymechanical interlocking of the bezel material and the connectingelements 122 b during molding and curing of the bezel, in order tosecure or retain the inserts in the buttons or inputs 116 and bezel 112.The inserts may be positioned at the desired/appropriate location in themold cavity and the plastic or polypropylene material may be shot intothe mold to mold the bezel and to mold the button portion or portionsaround the insert or inserts. Preferably, the bezel (with the integrallyformed actuator and insert) is molded via a one-shot or single shotmolding process. However, the bezel may be molded via a two-shot ordouble-shot molding process or other molding processes, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention.

Optionally, panel portion 122 a of actuator insert 122 may have text orcharacters or graphics or icons or other indicia printed or formedthereon to indicate the function of the button or user input, ifdesired. Optionally, actuator insert 122 may comprise a thin panelportion or a partially transparent or translucent panel portion ormaterial, and printed circuit board 120 may include an illuminationsource 124 to back light or provide illumination to and through panelportion 122 a to enhance visibility of the user input 116. Optionally,the illumination source 124 may be activated to emit such illuminationwhen the button is depressed to indicate to the user that the PCBelement or switch 118 on the printed circuit fluorescent (VF) element, aliquid crystal display (LCD) element, a light emitting diode (LED), suchas an inorganic LED or an organic light emitting diode (OLED), such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268 and 6,428,172 and in U.S. patentapplication, Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No.7,195,381, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, anelectroluminescent (EL) element or the like, without affecting the scopeof the present invention.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 3, 3A and 3B, a human machineinterface includes at least one user input or button 216 of an interiorrearview mirror assembly 210. The user input or inputs may comprise anactuator insert 222 that is insert molded partially within a chinportion 212 a of a bezel 212 during the molding of the bezel. Actuatorinsert 222 may include a button portion 222 a and one or more flexibletabs or connecting elements 222 b, similar to button 16 of mirrorassembly 10, discussed above. The tabs or connecting elements 222 b maybe molded into the bezel 212 to retain insert 222 to the bezel 212, andmay be flexible to allow for movement of button portion or push padportion 222 a relative to bezel 212. The pads or tabs or connectingelements 222 b may comprise a thin strip of material for the bezelmaterial to adhere or bond to, and/or the insert portions may beotherwise retained in the bezel portion, such as by mechanicalinterlocking of the bezel material and the connecting elements 222 bduring molding and curing of the bezel, in order to secure or retain theinserts at and in the molded bezel. As shown in FIG. 3B, actuator insert222 includes a pin or extension 222 c for actuating an element or switch218 on a printed circuit board 220. Actuator insert 222 may otherwise besubstantially similar to user input 116 and actuator insert 122,discussed above, such that a detailed discussion of the insert andbutton will not be repeated herein.

Optionally, and as can be seen in FIG. 3C, the tab or connecting element222 b′ of an actuator insert 222′ may extend at least partially alongthe upper portion of the insert 222′. Optionally, the insert 222′ maycomprise a thin panel portion or a partially transparent or translucentpanel portion or material, and the printed circuit board 220′ mayinclude an illumination source 224 to back light or provide illuminationto and through button or panel portion 222 a′ to enhance visibility ofthe user input or button or insert 222′ or to provide visualconfirmation of actuation of the PCB element or switch, as discussedabove.

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 4, a human machine interface mayinclude at least one manual input or user actuatable input or actuator316 that includes an actuator insert 322 that is insert molded in thechin portion 312 a of the bezel 312 of an interior rearview mirrorassembly 310, which also includes a reflective element 314. The insert322 may include a panel portion or button portion or push pad 322 a andtabs or connecting elements 322 b that are molded in or adhered orbonded to or mechanically secured to the bezel 312. Push pad 322 a maycomprise a thin, flexible portion of insert 322 and may include a pin orarm or extension 322 c extending into the bezel and toward a PCB elementor switch 318 on a printed circuit board 320, such that pressing againstthe push pad 322 a causes pin 322 c to engage and actuate the element orswitch 318 to perform the desired function. The insert 322 may comprisea flexible material that may be insert molded within the bezel duringmolding of the bezel and retained therein, such as in the mannerdescribed above. The insert 322 may have a thickness that allows forflexing of the push pad portion 322 a, and may be thick enough toprovide a “bump-in/bump-out” click or feel to the push pad when it isdepressed and released by a user. Optionally, the insert 322 maycomprise a translucent material and the printed circuit board mayinclude an illumination source, such as described above, to back lightthe icon or logo or indicia or the like on the push pad portion of theinsert or user input, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention. The illumination source may be activated to back light theinsert when other interior lights are activated, so as to provideillumination of the insert during darkened or nighttime conditions, orthe illumination source may be activated to back light the insert whenthe input or actuator is depressed by a user to confirm successfulactuation of the element or switch, or the illumination source may beactivated during other situations, without affecting the scope of thepresent invention. The user input or actuator thus may preferablyprovide an audible or tactile or visible or haptic acknowledgement ofsuccessful element/switch actuation to the driver or occupant using theuser input or actuator. The mirror assembly and user input may otherwisebe substantially similar to the mirror assemblies and user inputsdescribed above, such that a detailed discussion of the mirror assemblyand user input will not be repeated herein.

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 5, a human machine interface mayinclude at least one user input or user actuatable input 416, which maybe integrally formed or molded in the chin portion 412 a of the bezel412 during molding of the bezel 412 of an interior rearview mirrorassembly 410, which also includes a reflective element 414. The userinput 416 may include a panel portion or button portion or push pad 416a, and may comprise a diaphragm button or bubble button or actuator.Push pad 416 a may comprise a thin, flexible portion of user input 416and may have a pin or arm or extension 416 c extending into the bezeland toward a PCB element or switch 418 on a printed circuit board 420,such that pressing against the push pad 416 a causes pin 416 c to engageand actuate the element or switch 418 to perform the desired function.The button portion or push pad 416 a thus may be substantially thin andflexible to allow for inward and outward flexing of the button portionwhen it is pressed and released by a user. The thin button portion 416a, or at least the outer regions 416 b of the button portion 416 a, thusmay function as a living hinge to facilitate inward and outward movementof the button portion 416 a and/or the pin 416 c as the button portion416 a is pressed and released by a user, as can be seen in FIG. 6. Asshown in FIG. 5, the button portion may be bubble or convex-shaped toprovide a raised button portion along the bezel that a user will readilyrecognize as a button or actuator. Optionally, the button portion orliving hinge portion may be thick enough to provide a “bump-in/bump-out”click or feel to the push pad or button portion when it is depressed andreleased by a user. Optionally, the button portion may be substantiallythin and/or may comprise a translucent material and the printed circuitboard may include an illumination source, such as described above, toback light the icon or logo or indicia or the like on the push padportion of the user input, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention. The mirror assembly and user input may otherwise besubstantially similar to the mirror assemblies and user inputs describedabove, such that a detailed discussion of the mirror assembly and userinput will not be repeated herein.

Optionally, and as shown in FIG. 7, a push pad 416 a′ of a user input416′ of a human machine interface at an interior rearview mirrorassembly may provide an enlarged and/or raised pad area for a user topress, while the living hinge portion 416 b′ may be positioned behindthe pad area and integrally molded with the push pad portion 416 a′ andthe bezel 412′ during the molding process. In the illustrated embodimentof FIG. 7, the push pad 416 a′ is positioned close to the PCB element orswitch 418′ on the printed circuit board 420′, such that no pin orextension is required to reach and engage the PCB element or switch toactuate the switch as the push pad is depressed by a user.

Optionally, a human machine interface and user actuatable input may beintegrally formed or molded at other portions of the mirror casing,without affecting the scope of the present invention. For example, ahuman machine interface may be integrally molded at a rear or backportion of a mirror casing or at a cap portion of a mirror assembly,without affecting the scope of the present invention. For example, andsuch as shown in FIG. 8, an interior rear view mirror assembly 440includes a mirror casing 442 that includes a front bezel portion 444 anda rear cap portion 446, such as described in PCT Application No.PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forMIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, and published on Dec. 2, 2004 as PCTPublication No. WO 2004/103772 A2, which is incorporated herein byreference. The cap portion 446 includes a human machine interface 448having a user actuatable input or button or control 450. The useractuatable input may be pressed by a user to contact or actuate a buttonor switch or control or element of circuitry of the mirror assembly,such as an element or switch of compass circuitry on a circuit boardwithin the mirror assembly.

The circuitry on the circuit board thus may include a button or switchor control or element that is actuatable by the user actuatable input orbutton or control 450, such as at the rear of the cap portion 446 or atthe rear of the mirror holder, such as, for example, for actuating acalibration or zone function of compass circuitry within the mirrorassembly. The user actuatable input 450 may include an inward protrusionthat extends forwardly from a body portion or button portion or actuatedportion 450 a of the user actuatable input 450 and forwardly from thecap portion 446 or inwardly toward the element or switch or control onthe circuit board when the cap portion 446 is positioned at the circuitboard. The body or button or actuated portion 450 a is integrally formedat an end of a flexible tab 450 b, which is integrally formed with andextending partially along the cap portion 446. When a user presses atthe body portion 450 a of user actuatable input 450, the tab 450 bflexes and the body portion 450 a (and a contacting portion orprotrusion on the inward side of the body portion) is moved toward andurged against the element or switch on the circuit board to actuate theelement or switch to control or activate/deactivate the associatedfunction of the compass circuitry (or other circuitry or accessory orthe like that may be associated with the element or switch on thecircuit board). Although shown and described as being integrally formedwith a single cap or casing portion 446, the button/flexible tab or flipactuation tab member may be integrally formed on one of opposite sidecap portions or end portions or the like (such as described in PCTApplication No. PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004 by Donnelly Corp.et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, and published on Dec. 2, 2004 asPCT Publication No. WO 2004/103772 A2 (which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference), or on other types of casings or housings or thelike, without affecting the scope of the present invention.

In the illustrated embodiment, mirror assembly 440 includes a mountingassembly 452 for adjustably mounting the mirror casing or mirror head toan interior surface or portion of the vehicle, such as via a mountingbase 452 a that attaches to a mirror mounting button or the like at aninterior surface of the vehicle windshield. The mirror assemblycomprises a prismatic mirror assembly and has a toggle member or fliptab 454 for adjusting the prismatic mirror reflective element relativeto the mounting arm 452 b, such as is known in the mirror arts. Thecircuit board or circuitry of the mirror assembly 440 may beelectrically connected to a wiring harness or the like via an electricalconnector 456 that is accessible at the rear of the mirror assembly forconnection to the wiring harness. Optionally, the circuit board may alsohave an ambient light sensor or photocell 458 for detecting the ambientlight level at the mirror assembly, whereby the circuitry may adjust theintensity of a display in response to the detected ambient light levels.The ambient light sensor 458 is positioned at a corresponding opening inthe cap portion 446 to allow the ambient light sensor to detect theambient light levels through the opening. The mirror assembly mayinclude other accessories or elements or circuitry or other useractuatable inputs, such as the types described above or other inputs 460or the like, such as for activating/deactivating/controlling anelectronic accessory or feature or element or the like of or associatedwith the mirror assembly.

The cap portion may be positioned at an opening of the mirror holder,such that the accessories or circuitry supported by the cap portion arepositioned generally within the mirror holder. Optionally, the unitarycap portion may snap onto or otherwise secure to the mirror holder andgenerally cover or define the rear portion of the mirror assembly whenso assembled. The cap portion thus supports the circuit board or circuitboards and associated circuitry and/or accessories at or within themirror assembly, such as described in PCT Application No.PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forMIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, and published on Dec. 2, 2004 as PCTPublication No. WO 2004/103772 A2, which is hereby incorporated hereinby reference.

Optionally, the circuit boards or accessories may be provided at, withinor on the cap portion at a cap portion manufacturing facility orelectrical accessory manufacturing facility, such that the cap portionand circuitry assemblies are provided as a unit to the mirror assemblyfacility or plant. The cap portion and circuitry units may then besnapped or otherwise affixed to the mirror holder or reflective elementassembly portion of an appropriate mirror assembly having features orcomponents or displays corresponding to the cap portion and circuitryunits, as discussed below. The assembly or back-loading of the capportions to the mirror holder and reflective element assembly portionthus may be performed remote from the molding tool for molding themirror holder, since the cap portions may be mounted to the mirrorholder after the mirror holder has cooled and shrunk.

Each cap portion may support one or more desired accessories or circuitboards for providing the desired feature to the mirror assembly. The capportion or portions, and corresponding accessory or feature orelectrical content, may be selected and attached to a universal orcommon mirror holder to provide different features to the mirrordepending on the options selected for a particular application orvehicle. Optionally, the cap portions may be selected/configured to haveaccessories contained/supported therein to correspond to and be alignedwith/juxtapositioned with one or more displays of a particular orrespective reflective element secured in the common mirror holder and/ormay correspond with a particular mirror holder for applications wherethe accessory includes buttons or controls which may extend throughopenings or recesses in the mirror holder for access thereto by thedriver or occupant of the vehicle, such as described in PCT ApplicationNo. PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forMIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, and published on Dec. 2, 2004 as PCTPublication No. WO 2004/103772 A2, which is hereby incorporated hereinby reference.

Although shown and described as push button type inputs or actuators, itis envisioned that other types of human machine interfaces and/oractuators may be integrally formed with or integrally molded with orinsert molded with the bezel (or casing or the like) of a mirrorassembly or accessory module/windshield electronics module or the likeduring the molding of the bezel or casing, without affecting the scopeof the present invention. For example, the integrally formed or moldedor insert molded actuator may comprise a toggle type actuator that maybe pressed at either side to pivot or toggle or rock the actuator toengage and actuate a corresponding PCB element or switch positionedbehind either side of the toggle actuator. The toggle or rocker switchmay be integrally molded with the bezel during molding of the bezel, andmay include tabs or connecting elements generally at a central region ofthe toggle, such that the tabs may flex to allow the toggle to bepressed or rocked toward either side to actuate the desired respectivePCB element or switch. Other types of actuators may be implemented,without affecting the scope of the present invention.

Optionally, other elements besides human machine interface elements maybe integrally molded at or within a portion of the casing of the mirrorassembly. For example, other electronic accessories or modules orelements, such as, for example, a microphone module or element, anantenna module or element, a lighting module or element, a lens moduleor element, an optical module or element, and/or the like, may beintegrally molded at a portion of the mirror casing as described above.

The material selected for the bezel and/or the inputs or actuators orbuttons may comprise a flexible material to facilitate movement of theactuator relative to the rest of the bezel. Optionally, the material ofthe button or actuator may be colored or shaped as desired, and mayprovide a raised push pad region, and may have printing or text or iconsor logos or other indicia formed or printed thereon, without affectingthe scope of the present invention. Optionally, the exterior surface orface of the button or actuator may have a different texture than thebezel or casing to differentiate the button or actuator from the bezel.Optionally, the button or actuator material may comprise a soft touchmaterial or a soft touch surface or portion, such as disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 6,318,870, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Therefore, the manual inputs or user actuatable inputs or buttons or thelike of the present invention may be integrally formed or molded withthe bezel and/or the rest of the casing of the mirror assembly duringmolding of the bezel and/or the rest of the casing, or may be insertmolded within the bezel and/or the rest of the casing of the mirrorassembly during molding of the bezel and/or the rest of the casing, suchthat the user inputs or buttons are incorporated into the bezel and/orthe rest of the casing and do not have to be supplied as a separatecomponent of the bezel and/or the rest of the casing and/or mirrorassembly. The integral inputs or actuators or buttons or toggles or thelike of the present invention thus reduce the manufacturing processes orsteps in manufacturing and assembling the mirror assembly. The inputs oractuators of the present invention may provide a desired human-machineinterface (HMI) feel and touch, and may provide an enhanced aestheticappearance to the mirror assembly. Optionally, the integral inputs oractuators or buttons or toggles or the like may be integrally formed ormolded or insert molded in a casing or housing portion of the mirrorassembly or in a casing or housing portion of an accessory module orwindshield electronics module or pod or attachment during molding of thecasing or housing portion, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 9–11, an interior rearviewmirror assembly 510 includes a casing 511, a bezel 512 and a reflectiveelement 514, and a human machine interface having at least one manualinput or user actuatable input or actuator 516, such as a button ortoggle or the like at bezel 512. User actuatable inputs 516 are movablypositioned at casing 511 and/or bezel 512, such as at or adjacent to achin portion 512 a of bezel 512 (or elsewhere around the bezel). Mirrorassembly 510 includes at least one electronic element or switch 518,which may be positioned within the mirror casing. For example, theelement or switch 518 may comprise a PCB-mountable microswitch that maybe mounted on or at a printed circuit board (PCB) 520 or the likepositioned within the mirror casing. As shown in FIG. 9, PCB element orswitch or switches 518 may be positioned at a rearward side 520 a ofprinted circuit board 520, and user input 516 may extend generally alongthe printed circuit board 520 and adjacent to a respective element orswitch 518. Actuation of user input 516, such as via pushing or pressinguser input 516 in the direction of the arrow A (FIG. 9), causes userinput to move and/or flex to actuate the element or switch 518, asdiscussed below.

Similar to elements/switches 18, discussed above, electronicelements/switches 518 may be operable or actuatable toactivate/deactivate or adjust or control an electrical accessory orcomponent or feature or the like (such as the accessories or systemsdiscussed below) associated with the printed circuit board or with therearview mirror assembly or with the vehicle. The accessory or componentor feature may be incorporated onto the printed circuit board 520 or maybe positioned elsewhere in or at the mirror assembly or elsewhere in orat the vehicle, such as in an accessory module or windshield electronicsmodule or the like, such as an accessory module or windshieldelectronics module of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,824,281;6,690,268; 6,250,148; 6,341,523; 6,593,565; and 6,326,613, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference. Optionally, the user input orbuttons may be positioned at a casing or housing of an accessory moduleor windshield electronics module or the like and may be actuatable ordepressible to actuate an electronic element or switch incorporated intothe accessory module or windshield electronics module or the like,without affecting the scope of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 9, user input 516 may comprise an elongated lever armwith a downward extending exposed portion 516 a (that is exposed oroutside of the casing 511 and that is viewable and accessible by a userin the vehicle) and an element/switch actuating portion 516 b within thecasing 511. Casing 511 includes an opening or slot 511 a through whichuser input 516 extends. User input 516 is formed such that when exposedportion 516 a is pressed or moved by a user in the direction of thearrow A, a pivot portion 516 c of user input 516 engages casing 511 atslot 511 a to limit movement of the user input 516. When the userpresses user input 516, the input or lever may pivot about the contactpoint or pivot point 517 between the casing 511 and pivot portion 516 cto cause the element/switch actuating portion 516 b to move forward (orto the right in FIG. 9) to engage and actuate the element or switch 518.When the user input 516 is released, the element/switch actuatingportion 516 b may move back to its initial position.

In the illustrated embodiment, the user input 516 includes a stop memberor end 516 d that may be generally at or may contact the printed circuitboard 520 to limit movement of switch actuating portion 516 b when userinput 516 is actuated. During actuation of user input 516, stop end 516d limits forward movement of the upper or inner portion of the userinput, whereby switch actuating portion 516 b may flex to contact andactuate the element or switch 518. The mirror assembly 510 may alsoinclude a biasing member or cushioning member 522, which functions tobias or hold user input 516 in its non-actuated position or orientationwhen it is released. Biasing member 522 may press or bias or urge theswitch actuating portion 516 b toward the circuit board 520 so that stopend 516 d is urged against the circuit board when the user input isreleased or not-actuated. The biasing member may comprise a foam springor other type of spring or cushioning member or device, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention.

Optionally, mirror assembly 510 may include an illumination source 524positioned on printed circuit board 520 and operable to illuminate theexposed portion 516 a of user input 516. In the illustrated embodiment,illumination source 524 is positioned at end 516 d of user input 516 anddirects illumination toward and into end 516 d of user input 516. Userinput 516 may comprises a plastic or polymeric material (such as atransparent or semi-transparent polymeric material) that is capable oftransmitting light therealong or may comprise a light pipe or the likefor transmitting the light from illumination source 520 along user input516 to exposed portion 516 a. The light from illumination source 520thus may illuminate the exposed portion 516 a of user input 516 toenhance viewability of the user input during darkened or nighttimeconditions. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the exposed portions 516 a ofthe user inputs 516 may include icons or indicia or text or othergraphics or the like printed or screened or otherwise formed thereon toidentify the function of the switch associated with the user input to auser or occupant of the vehicle.

The user input of the present invention thus may comprise an elongatedplastic or polymeric member that may be configured to pivot or flexrelative to the mirror casing or the like to actuate an element orswitch positioned within the casing, such as at a printed circuit boardof the mirror assembly. The user input thus may not include moving partsor hinges or springs or the like typically associated with useractuatable switches or buttons or toggles or the like, and thus mayprovide a low cost user input or button or the like that is readilyinstallable in or at a mirror assembly (or in or at an accessory moduleor windshield electronics module or the like) of a vehicle. The userinput may be implemented in a mirror assembly having a casing and bezelportion, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,439,755;4,826,289; and 6,501,387; and/or U.S. patent applications, Ser. No.10/933,842, filed Sep. 3, 2004 by Kulas et al. for INTERIOR REARVIEWMIRROR ASSEMBLY; Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004 by Lynam forMIRROR REFLECTIVE ELEMENT FOR A VEHICLE; and/or Ser. No. 11/021,065,filed Dec. 23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004 byDonnelly Corp. et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, and published onDec. 2, 2004 as PCT Publication No. WO 2004/103772 A2, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference.

As shown in FIGS. 1–3, 8 and 9, the reflective element of the mirrorassembly may comprise a prismatic reflective element and the mirrorassembly thus may comprise a prismatic mirror assembly, such as aprismatic mirror assembly of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,318,870; 5,327,288; 4,948,242; 4,826,289; 4,436,371; and 4,435,042,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Optionally, theprismatic reflective element may comprise a conventional prismaticreflective element or prism or may comprise a prismatic reflectiveelement of the types described in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/29776,filed Sep. 19, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for MIRROR REFLECTIVEELEMENT ASSEMBLY, and published on Apr. 1, 2004 as PCT Publication No.WO 2004/026633 A2; and U.S. patent applications, Ser. No. 10/933,842,filed Sep. 3, 2004 by Kulas et al. for INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRRORASSEMBLY; Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004 by Lynam for MIRRORREFLECTIVE ELEMENT FOR A VEHICLE; and/or Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec.23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL; and/or Ser. No.10/709,434, filed May 5, 2004 by Lynam for MIRROR REFLECTIVE ELEMENT,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004 byDonnelly Corp. et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, and published onDec. 2, 2004 as PCT Publication No. WO 2004/103772 A2, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference, without affecting the scope ofthe present invention. A variety of mirror accessories and constructionsare known in the art, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,555,136; 5,582,383; 5,680,263; 6,227,675; 6,229,319; and 6,315,421(the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by referenceherein), that can benefit from the present invention.

Optionally, and as shown in FIGS. 4–6, the reflective element of themirror assembly may comprise an electro-optic or electrochromicreflective element, such that the mirror assembly may comprise anelectro-optic or electrochromic mirror assembly. For example, theelectrochromic mirror element of the electrochromic mirror assembly mayutilize the principles disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos.6,690,268; 5,140,455; 5,151,816; 6,178,034; 6,154,306; 6,002,544;5,567,360; 5,525,264; 5,610,756; 5,406,414; 5,253,109; 5,076,673;5,073,012; 5,117,346; 5,724,187; 5,668,663; 5,910,854; 5,142,407 and/or4,712,879, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, and/or asdisclosed in the following publications: N. R. Lynam, “ElectrochromicAutomotive Day/Night Mirrors”, SAE Technical Paper Series 870636 (1987);N. R. Lynam, “Smart Windows for Automobiles”, SAE Technical Paper Series900419 (1990); N. R. Lynam and A. Agrawal, “Automotive Applications ofChromogenic Materials”, Large Area Chromogenics: Materials and Devicesfor Transmittance Control, C. M. Lampert and C. G. Granquist, EDS.,Optical Engineering Press, Wash. (1990), which are hereby incorporatedby reference herein; and/or as described in U.S. patent application,Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002 by Lynam et al. for VEHICULARLIGHTING SYSTEM, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference. The mirror assembly may include one ormore other displays, such as the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,530,240 and/or 6,329,925, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference, and/or display-on-demand transflective type displays, such asthe types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,668,663 and/or5,724,187, and/or in U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 10/054,633, filedJan. 22, 2002 by Lynam et al. for VEHICULAR LIGHTING SYSTEM, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,195,381; and/or Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004 byMcCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 9, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for MIRRORREFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY, and published on Apr. 1, 2004 as PCTPublication No. WO 2004/026633 A2; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forELECTRO-OPTIC REFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY, and published on May 21, 2004as PCT Publication No. WO 2004/042457 A2; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, and published on Jul. 15, 2004 as PCTPublication No. WO 2004/058540 A2, and/or U.S. provisional applications,Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004 by Lynam et al. for MIRRORASSEMBLY WITH VIDEO DISPLAY; Ser. No. 60/629,926, filed Nov. 22, 2004 byMcCabe et al. for METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL;Ser. No. 60/531,838, filed Dec. 23, 2003; Ser. No. 60/553,842, filedMar. 17, 2004; and Ser. No. 60/563,342, filed Apr. 19, 2004, which areall hereby incorporated herein by reference. The thicknesses andmaterials of the coatings on the substrates of the electrochromicreflective element, such as on the third surface of the reflectiveelement assembly, may be selected to provide a desired color or tint tothe mirror reflective element, such as a blue colored reflector, such asis known in the art and such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854and 6,420,036, and in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 9,2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for MIRROR REFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY,and published on Apr. 1, 2004 as PCT Publication No. WO 2004/026633 A2,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The manual inputs or user actuatable inputs or actuators may control oradjust or activate/deactivate one or more accessories or elements orfeatures. Optionally, the mirror assembly may include one or moreaccessories incorporated onto the printed circuit board or positionedelsewhere at or within the mirror casing, such as one or more electricalor electronic devices or accessories, such as antennas, including globalpositioning system (GPS) or cellular phone antennas, such as disclosedin U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,552, a communication module, such as disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 5,798,688, a blind spot or object detection system, suchas imaging or detection systems of the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. patent application, Ser. No.10/427,051, filed Apr. 30, 2003 by Pawlicki et al. for OBJECT DETECTIONSYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,577, and/or U.S. provisionalapplications, Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004 by Camilleri etal. for IMAGING AND DISPLAY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE; Ser. No. 60/614,644,filed Sep. 30, 2004; Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14, 2004 byLaubinger for VEHICLE IMAGING SYSTEM; Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec.23, 2004 by Higgins-Luthman for OBJECT DETECTION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE,transmitters and/or receivers, such as a garage door opener or the like,a digital network, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,575, ahigh/low headlamp controller, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,796,094 and/or 5,715,093; and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser.No. 60/607,963, filed Sep. 8, 2004 by Schofield for IMAGING SYSTEM FORVEHICLE; and Ser. No. 60/562,480, filed Apr. 15, 2004 by Schofield forIMAGING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, a memory mirror system, such as disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 5,796,176, a hands-free phone attachment, a video devicefor internal cabin surveillance and/or video telephone function, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962 and/or 5,877,897; and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. etal. for ACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, and published on Jul. 15, 2004 asPCT Publcation No. WO 2004/058540 A2, and/or U.S. provisionalapplications, Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004 by Lynam et al.for MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH VIDEO DISPLAY, a remote keyless entry receiveror system or circuitry and/or a universal garage door opening system orcircuitry (such as the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,396,408;6,362,771; 5,798,688 and 5,479,155, and/or U.S. patent application, Ser.No. 10/770,736, filed Feb. 3, 2004 by Baumgardner et al. for GARAGE DOOROPENING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,023,322, lights, such asmap reading lights or one or more other lights or illumination sources,such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,938,321; 5,813,745;5,820,245; 5,673,994; 5,649,756; 5,178,448; 5,671,996; 4,646,210;4,733,336; 4,807,096; 6,042,253; and/or 5,669,698, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002 by Lynam et al. forVEHICULAR LIGHTING SYSTEM, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381, microphones,such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,717,524; 6,650,233; 6,243,003;6,278,377; and/or 6,420,975, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/30877,filed Oct. 1, 2003, and published on Apr. 15, 2004 as PCT PublicationNo. WO 2004/032568 A1, speakers, a compass or compass system, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,924,212; 4,862,594; 4,937,945; 5,131,154;5,255,442; and/or 5,632,092, and/or U.S. patent application, Ser. No.10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003 by Weller et al. for INTERIOR REARVIEWMIRROR SYSTEM WITH COMPASS, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593; and/or U.S.provisional application, Ser. No. 60/636,931, filed Dec. 17, 2004 byBlank et al. for INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM WITH COMPASS, anavigation system, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,464, andU.S. patent applications, Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003 byWeller et al. for INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR SYSTEM WITH COMPASS, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593; Ser. No. 10/287,178, filed Nov. 4, 2002 byMcCarthy et al. for NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE, now U.S. Pat. No.6,678,614; Ser. No. 10/645,762, filed Aug. 20, 2003 by Taylor et al. forVEHICLE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR USE WITH A TELEMATICS SYSTEM, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,167,796; and Ser. No. 10/422,378, filed Apr. 24, 2003, nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,946,978; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611,filed Dec. 19, 2003 by Donnelly Corporation et al. For ACCESSORY SYSTEMFOR VEHICLE, and published on Jul. 15, 2004 as PCT Publication No. WO2004/058540 A2, a tire pressure monitoring system, such as the typesdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,294,989; 6,445,287; and/or 6,472,979, andU.S. provisional application, Ser. No. 60/611,796, filed Sep. 21, 2004by O'Brien for TIRE PRESSURE ALERT SYSTEM, a seat occupancy delector, avehicle occupancy detector, such as the type described in U.S.provisional application, Ser. No. 60/630,364, filed Nov. 22, 2004 byWåhlström for OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, a trip computer, atelematics system, such as an ONSTAR® system or the like, and/or anyother desired accessory or system or the like (with all of theabove-referenced patents and patent applications and PCT applicationsand provisional applications being commonly assigned to DonnellyCorporation, and with the disclosures of all of the above referencedpatents and patent applications and PCT applications and provisionalapplications being hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties).

The accessory or accessories may be positioned at or within the mirrorcasing and may be included on or integrated in the printed circuit boardpositioned within the mirror casing, such as along a rear surface of thereflective element or elsewhere within a cavity defined by the casing,without affecting the scope of the present invention. The useractuatable inputs described above may be actuatable to control and/oradjust the accessories of the mirror assembly/system and/or an overheadconsole and/or an accessory module/windshield electronics module and/orthe vehicle. The connection or link between the controls and the systemsor accessories may be provided via vehicle electronic or communicationsystems and the like, and may be connected via various protocols ornodes, such as Bluetooth™, SCP, UBP, J1850, CAN J2284, Fire Wire 1394,MOST, LIN, FlexRay™, Byte Flight and/or the like, or other vehicle-basedor in-vehicle communication links or systems (such as WIFI and/or IRDA)and/or the like, depending on the particular application of themirror/accessory system and the vehicle. Optionally, the connections orlinks may be provided via wireless connectivity or links, such as via awireless communication network or system, such as described in U.S.patent application, Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003 by Weller etal. for INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM WITH COMPASS, now U.S. Pat. No.7,004,593, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 12–14, an interior rearviewmirror assembly 610 may include an intuitive heading instructional iconelement or display 630 at the reflective element 614, such as the typesdescribed in U.S. provisional application, Ser. No. 60/553,517, filedMar. 16, 2004 by Schofield for MIRROR ASSEMBLY, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference. The compass display 630 may beassociated with or controlled or adjusted by a compass system and/or anavigational system, such as a compass and/or navigational system of thetypes described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,678,614; 6,477,464; 5,924,212;4,862,594; 4,937,945; 5,131,154; 5,255,442; and/or 5,632,092, and/orU.S. patent applications, Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003 byWeller et al. for INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM WITH COMPASS, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,004,593; Ser. No. 10/645,762, filed Aug. 20, 2003 by Tayloret al. for VEHICLE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR USE WITH A TELEMATICS SYSTEM,now U.S. Pat. No. 7,167,796; and Ser. No. 10/422,378, filed Apr. 24,2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,946,978; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003 by Donnelly Corporation et al. forACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, and published on Jul. 15, 2004 as PCTPublication No. WO 2004/058540 A2; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forMIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, and published on Dec. 2, 2004 as PCTPublication No. WO 2004/103772 A2, and/or U.S. provisional applicationSer. No. 60/636,931, filed Dec. 17, 2004 by Blank et al. for INTERIORREARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM WITH COMPASS, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference.

Display 630 includes a plurality of characters or icons or letters 632(such as N, E, S, W as shown in FIGS. 12–14) formed or etched in thereflective coating or layer of the reflective element 614 and includesan arrow or direction pointer 634 at each of the characters 632. Thedisplay 630 may also include a central port 636 through the reflectivecoating or layer reflective element 614 behind which may be positionedan illumination source as described above or a glare sensor, such as aphoto sensor or the like, such as a glare sensor and/or an ambient lightsensor and electrochromic automatic dimming circuitry described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 4,793,690 and 5,193,029, and U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003 by Weller et al. for INTERIOR REARVIEWMIRROR SYSTEM WITH COMPASS, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference. The arrows of directionpointers may point generally upward when the mirror assembly is mountedin the vehicle with the reflective element facing generally rearward andopposite to the direction of forward travel of the vehicle. The arrowsor pointers thus may be representative of the direction of forwardtravel of the vehicle. As shown in FIGS. 12–14, the direction pointersof display 630 may comprise generally triangular shaped icons orpointers 634 positioned outward from the characters 632 and opposite thecharacters from the center or port 636 of the display (such as shown inFIG. 12), or the direction pointers of the display 630′ may comprisearrows 634′ positioned next to the characters 632 (such as shown in FIG.13), or the direction pointers of the display 630″ may comprise arrows634″ positioned inward of the characters 632 and between the respectivecharacters and the center or port 636 (such as shown in FIG. 14).

The compass/navigation system may be operable to energize one or moreillumination sources positioned at and rearward of a respective one ofthe characters 632 and corresponding direction pointer 634 to illuminateor back light the respective character and direction pointer. Forexample, the compass/navigation system may be operable to illuminate orback light a particular character and adjacent direction pointer toindicate to an occupant of the vehicle the direction that the vehicle iscurrently heading. For example, if the character “W” and the arrow ordirection pointer next to the “W” are illuminated, then the displayindicates that the vehicle is heading west. The intuitive headinginstructional icon element or display thus may provide reinforcement toa viewer that when the character (such as “W” or other character) isilluminated, it is done so to indicate that the vehicle is traveling inthe direction (such as west or other direction) indicated by thecharacter. This is reinforced by the illumination of the correspondingarrow or direction pointer that points upward so as to be representativeof pointing in the direction of forward travel of the vehicle. A personviewing the display thus will not misinterpret the illumination of thecharacters to be indicative of a driving or turning instruction (such asan instruction to turn the vehicle right or east to follow a programmedroute) in connection with the navigation system.

Optionally, the display may function as a display for providing both anindication of the directional heading of the vehicle and an indicationof which direction the vehicle should be turned in order to follow aprogrammed route or path. For example, only a particular directionpointer may be illuminated or back lit to indicate that the vehicle isheading in the direction indicated by the non-lit character next to theilluminated pointer, while a different character (separate from theilluminated pointer) may be illuminated or back lit to indicate that thevehicle is to be turned in that direction to follow a programmed routeto a desired destination. The compass/navigation system and display thusmay clearly display to a driver of the vehicle which direction thevehicle is heading at that time via the directional arrows, while thecompass/navigation system and display may also be operable to providedriving or turning instructions to a driver of the vehicle to instructthe driver as to which direction the driver is to turn to follow aparticular route to a desired destination. For example, thecompass/navigation system may be associated with a global positioningsystem and/or telematics system of the vehicle, and may generate anddisplay driving instructions to the driver of the vehicle as the vehicleis driven along a generated route, such as by utilizing aspectsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,678,614 and/or 6,477,464, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003 by Weller etal. for INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM WITH COMPASS, now U.S. Pat. No.7,004,593; Ser. No. 10/645,762, filed Aug. 20, 2003 by Taylor et al. forVEHICLE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR USE WITH A TELEMATICS SYSTEM, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,167,796; and Ser. No. 10/422,378, filed Apr. 24, 2003, nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,946,978; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611,filed Dec. 19, 2003 by Donnelly Corporation et al. for ACCESSORY SYSTEMFOR VEHICLE, and published on Jul. 15, 2004 as PCT Publication No. WO2004/103772 A2; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2004/015424, filed May18, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, andpublished on Dec. 2, 2004 as PCT Publication No. WO 2004/103772 A2,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference.

During operation, the compass/navigation system thus may be operable toenergize an illumination source positioned at and rearward of/behind arespective one of the characters to provide a driving instruction to thedriver of the vehicle that is separate from the directional headingindication also provided by illumination or back lighting of the arrowsor pointers of the display. For example, if the vehicle is headinggenerally west, the compass/navigation system may illuminate or backlight the arrow next to the “W” to indicate to the driver of the vehiclethat the vehicle is traveling generally in that direction. If theprogrammed route for the vehicle involves an upcoming right turn onto agenerally northbound road, the compass/navigation system may thenilluminate or back light the letter “N” to indicate to the driver of thevehicle that the driver should turn the vehicle to head north.

It is further envisioned that the illuminated character may be alteredor adjusted as the vehicle gets closer to the turning point orintersection, such as by flashing the illumination source orintensifying the illumination source or changing the color of theillumination as the vehicle approaches the desired or appropriateturning point or intersection. It is also further envisioned that arrowspointing sideways may be provided at one or more of the characters ofthe display (or elsewhere at the display), and the appropriate arrow maybe illuminated or back lit to indicate that the driver is to turn rightor left to stay on the desired course or route. In such an embodiment,illumination or back lighting of the character may be indicative of thedirectional heading of the vehicle, while illumination or back lightingof the arrows may be indicative of the driving instructions to thedriver of the vehicle.

The intuitive display elements thus provide a clear indication as towhich direction the vehicle is presently traveling by providing adirectional heading arrow or pointer at each of the compass headingcharacters. The driver of the vehicle thus will not likely becomeconfused as to the meaning of the illuminated characters or letters. Thecompass/navigation system and display of the present invention also mayprovide point-to-point driving instructions and the present directionalheading of the vehicle with the same display or displayicons/characters.

Optionally, a variety of display types or screens can be utilized inconjunction with an interior rearview mirror assembly or windshieldelectronics module/accessory module of the present invention. Forexample, any of the liquid crystal type display or video screens (suchas the types disclosed in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec.19, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, andpublished on Jul. 15, 2004 as PCT Publication No. WO 2004/058540 A2,and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22,2004 by Lynam et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH VIDEO DISPLAY, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference) can be utilized. Also, amicrodisplay (such as is available from MicroVision Inc. of Bothell,Wash.), in which a single scanner is used to direct multiple light beamssimultaneously into separate zones of an image so as to deliver abright, high resolution, image over a wide field of view, can be used.Such a microdisplay may utilize conventional surface emitting or othertypes of light emitting diodes (LEDs) as light sources to provide aneconomical display with sharp resolution and high image brightness. Forexample, multiple red, green and blue LEDs can be used to write severalmillion red, green, and blue spots that integrate to form a singlehigh-fidelity image in a mega pixel display image. Such scanning displaytechnologies can utilize a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner (MEMS)and other display/mechanical and electronics devices, such as aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,714,331; 6,795,221; and 6,762,867, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference, and can provide increasedspatial resolution. Such displays can deliver an image with a full30-degree horizontal field of view or more. Such a microdisplay/MEMSdevice can, for example, be placed in the mirror housing behind themirror reflective element in an interior (or exterior) mirror assemblysuch that the image is projected onto the rear of the mirror reflectiveelement, such as is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/225,851, filed Aug. 22, 2002 by Burgner for VEHICLE INFORMATIONDISPLAY, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,847,487, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference.

If the mirror reflector of the mirror element is of the transflective(substantially reflective and at least partially transmitting to light)type, the driver or other occupant in the interior cabin of the vehiclecan view the image (being back-projected onto the rear of the mirrorreflective element) by viewing the mirror reflective element. Becausesuch back-projected microdisplays can have a very high image brightness(due to use of very high brightness LEDs as illuminators), imagewash-out during driving under high ambient lighting conditions (such ason a sunny day) is reduced using such scanning image microdisplaytechnology compared to use, for example, of TFT LCD displays.

Also such MEMS technology can be used in a heads-up-display (HUD)system, such as the MicroHUD™ head-up display system available fromMicroVision Inc. of Bothell, Wash. This provides a compact heads-updisplay capable of meeting specific size and performance specifications.For example, MicroVision's MicroHUD™ combines a MEMS-based micro displaywith an optical package of lenses and mirrors to achieve a compacthigh-performance HUD module that reflects a virtual image off thewindscreen that appears to the driver to be close to the front of thecar. This laser-scanning display can outperform many miniature flatpanel LCD display screens because it can be clearly viewed in thebrightest conditions and also dimmed to the very low brightness levelsrequired for safe night-time driving.

The high-resolution MicroHUD™ display may be completely reconfigurable,enabling virtually any content to be displayed, including video oranimated icons and graphics. Advantageously, such a MicroHUD™ displayunit may be included at or within an interior rearview mirror assemblyor a windshield electronics module/accessory module so as to project itsimage therefrom onto the inner surface of the windshield. This uniquepackaging of a HUD or projection image displayer into an interiorrearview mirror assembly or a windshield electronics module/accessorymodule has advantages over conventional placement of such HUD projectorsinto the dashboard of the vehicle. These advantages include that the HUDimage projector need not find space in an already crowded dashboard(where, for example, a center information cluster may want space orwhere HVAC ducts/components may run). Also, incorporation of the HUDprojector in the likes of the mounting portion of the interior mirrorassembly or into a windshield electronics module/accessory module canallow a HUD display to be provided more readily as an optional accessoryfor the vehicle or as a dealership option or aftermarket device. Avariety of images (such as, for example, iconistic or graphical or videoor textural or alphanumerical or numerical or the like) can bedisplayed, such as information from a side object/blind spot monitoringsystem, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,786, and/orU.S. patent applications, Ser. No. 10/427,051, filed Apr. 30, 2003 byPawlicki et al. for OBJECT DETECTION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, now U.S. Pat.No. 7,038,577; and/or Ser. No. 10/209,173, filed Jul. 31, 2002 bySchofield for AUTOMOTIVE LANE CHANGE AID, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,882,287,and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23,2004 by Higgins-Luthman for OBJECT DETECTION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Also, a full video image captured by the likes of a reversing camera ora forward facing night vision camera or a sidelane-monitoring camera canbe displayed on/via the vehicle windshield (or elsewhere) by the likesof a MicroHUD™ device and, conceptually, thus replacing the exteriormirrors with cameras. For example, a driver sidelane video image and apassenger sidelane video image, both preferably with graphic overlaysthereon, can be displayed at respective sides of the vehicle windshieldvia a MEMS-based display system (such as via a MicroHUD™ HUD displaydevice) and with the image visible to the driver by viewing the vehiclewindshield (such as via an optical image combiner created on the innerglass surface of the windshield and/or onto the polymeric laminatinginterlayer (typically a sheet of polyvinyl butyral or of silicone or thelike) utilized in the laminate windshield).

Optionally, the interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle mayinclude or may be associated with an accessory that includes or isassociated with a sensor adapted for detection of the presence ofmoisture on the inner surface of the windshield of the vehicle. Theaccessory may activate a heating, ventilation and air conditioning(HVAC) system (such as by turning on a vehicular air conditioning or aheating system and/or turning on an air blower that directs air to theinner surface of the windshield for demisting/decondensation purposes)in response to a threshold level of moisture being detected. Such aninterior mirror demisting sensor accessory (accommodated, for example,in a mirror mount or mirror support arm proximate where the mirrorassembly mounts to an attachment member, such as a mirror-mountingbutton that is adhered to the inner surface of the windshield, oraccommodated in a pod that attaches to a mirror mount/mirror supportarm) is preferably a capacitive moisture sensor for detecting surfacecondensation, such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,614,241, issued toSchmitt et al., the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated byreference herein. Such a compact capacitive moisture sensor may comprisea carrier, a metal layer applied to the carrier to form an interdigitalstructure, a passivation layer formed over the metal layer, and ahydrophilic layer applied over the passivation layer, where thehydrophilic layer increases a surface tension of the passivation layer.Such a sensor is available from Preh-Werke GmbH & Co. KG of Saale,Germany. Optionally, such a capacitive sensor may be mounted proximateto the windshield of the vehicle, such as in a windshieldelectronics/accessory module, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,824,281; 6,290,268; 6,250,148; 6,341,523; 6,593,565; and 6,326,613,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference, without affectingthe scope of the present invention.

Optionally, the mirror assembly may also or alternately include a cabinair monitor for monitoring the air within the vehicle cabin. Forexample, and as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,172, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference, a vehicle cabin air monitor can beincorporated into an interior mirror assembly, such as within a mirrorhousing that includes the reflective element, or in a pod or housingthat attaches to the mirror mount. Alternately, such a vehicle cabin airmonitor can be included in windshield electronics module/accessorymodule, without affecting the scope of the present invention. Forexample, levels of carbon monoxide may be monitored by such air monitorsprovided at the mirror location or accessory module location.Preferably, the air monitor includes an intake, preferably a fanassisted intake that samples the air within the cabin. In a preferredform, when the vehicle cabin level of carbon monoxide exceeds athreshold level, the monitor takes appropriate action, such as, forexample, sounding an alarm, shutting off the engine, and/or openingwindows of the vehicle or the like. Such an air monitoring system ispreferably used with a remote ignition system, such as is commonly usedin cold climates when the engine is started up remotely. Such a vehicleair monitoring system protects against the build up of carbon monoxidewithin the vehicle cabin and protects against the threat of carbonmonoxide poisoning to a human being or other animal within the vehiclecabin.

Optionally, for example, an interior mirror assembly or a pod attachedthereto or a windshield electronics module/accessory module can includean in-cabin humidity detector (such as the type described above) thatdraws in cabin air via a small fan, detects the humidity level, and thendetermines whether or not to turn on the HVAC blower to demist thewindshield. Such an accessory or system may include a carbon monoxidemonitor (such as described above) to determine the level of carbonmonoxide in the vehicle cabin.

The user actuatable inputs of the present invention may be operable tocontrol any of the accessories of or associated with the mirror assemblyand/or accessory module or the like. Optionally, the mirror assemblyand/or accessory module and/or console or the like may include otheruser inputs or actuating devices, without affecting the scope of thepresent invention. For example, the mirror assembly may include touchsensitive elements or touch sensors or proximity sensors, such as thetypes of touch sensitive elements described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,594,222;6,001,486; 6,310,611; 6,320,282; and 6,627,918, and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/817,874, filed Mar. 26, 2001 by Quist et al. forINTERACTIVE AUTOMOTIVE REARVISION SYSTEM, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference, or such as proximity sensors of the types describedin U.S. Pat. Publication No. 2002/0044065, published Apr. 18, 2002 byQuist et al. for INTERACTIVE AUTOMOTIVE REARVISION SYSTEM; and/or U.S.patent applications Ser. No. 10/933,842, filed Sep. 3, 2004; and/or Ser.No. 10/956,749, filed Oct. 1, 2004; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, and published on Jul. 15, 2004 as PCTPublication No. WO 2004/058540 A2, which are hereby incorporated hereinby reference, or such as membrane type switches, such as described inU.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/575,904, filed Jun. 1, 2004by Uken for MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE; and/or Ser. No. 60/624,320,filed Nov. 2, 2004 by Uken for MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference, or such as detectors and thelike, such as the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,504,531;6,501,465; 6,492,980; 6,452,479; 6,437,258; and 6,369,804, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by McCabe etal. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, which are hereby incorporated hereinby reference, and/or the like, without affecting the scope of thepresent invention.

Therefore, the present invention provides a human machine interface withat least one user actuatable input at the bezel portion and/or casing ofthe mirror assembly. The user actuatable inputs may be integrally formedor molded with the bezel portion or may be insert molded in the bezelduring the molding of the bezel portion of the mirror assembly, and maybe actuatable to control or adjust or toggle or modulate oractivate/deactivate an accessory or system or display or the like thatis at or in or associated with the mirror assembly. The actuator isintegrally formed with the bezel so that a separate keypad or otherbuttons need not be assembled or positioned at the bezel during theassembly of the mirror assembly. The bezel (with the integrally formedor molded or insert molded toggle or button or actuator or the like) maybe attached to a reflective element and/or printed circuit board and/ormirror casing, such that the actuator is positioned at or aligned with acorresponding PCB-mounted element or switch at the printed circuit boardwithin the mirror assembly. The present invention thus provides enhancedmanufacturing and assembly of an interior rearview mirror assembly.Optionally, the user input may be positioned partially within the casingand may pivot and/or flex to contact and actuate the element or switchor switches at the printed circuit board. The user input thus maycomprise a low cost plastic or polymeric lever or member that may bereadily positioned within the casing during assembly of the rearviewmirror assembly.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw.

1. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interiorrearview mirror assembly comprising: a casing comprising a bezel; saidbezel formed of a molded plastic material in a molding operation; atleast one portion of said bezel adapted in said molding operation toprovide a user actuatable element; user actuatable element integrallyformed at said portion of said bezel during said molding operation thatforms said bezel, said user actuatable element comprising a moldedplastic material body portion and a molded plastic material flexibleportion, said molded plastic material flexible portion connecting saidmolded plastic material body portion to the remainder of said bezel sothat said body portion is movable relative to the remainder of saidbezel via flexing of said flexible portion when said user actuatableelement is actuated by a user pressing said body portion; circuitry,said circuitry disposed within said casing and having an electricalactuation switch located generally proximate to and rearward of saidbody portion or said user actuatable element; and said electricalactuation switch of said circuitry being actuatable by a user of thevehicle pressing said body portion whereby movement of said body portionvia flexing of said flexible portion causes said body portion to contactsaid electrical actuation switch to actuate said electrical actuationswitch.
 2. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, whereinsaid circuitry is disposed on a printed circuit board.
 3. The interiorrearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one useractuatable element includes at least one actuating portion that isinsert molded with said portion of said bezel.
 4. The interior rearviewmirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said user actuatable element is atleast partially at a chin portion of said bezel.
 5. The interiorrearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said body portion of saidat least one user actuatable element comprises a surface finish that isdifferent than a surface finish of the remainder of said bezel.
 6. Theinterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said casingcomprises a rear cap portion that supports at least one electricalelement thercat.
 7. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1,wherein said casing comprises a resinous material and said at least oneuser actuatable input comprises said resinous material.
 8. The interiorrearview minor assembly of claim 7, wherein said at least one useractuatable element includes a hinge established of said resinousmaterial.
 9. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 7, whereinsaid resinous material comprises an olefin material.
 10. The interiorrearview mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein said resinous materialcomprises a polypropylene material.
 11. The interior rearview mirrorassembly of claim 7, wherein said at least one user actuatable elementcomprises a user actuated portion that is movable via flexing of atleast a portion of said at least one user actuatable element to operatesaid at least one element of said circuitry.
 12. The interior rearviewmirror assembly of claim 11, wherein said user actuated portion includesan insert portion.
 13. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim12, wherein said insert portion comprises at least one of a translucentinsert portion and a printed insert portion.
 14. The interior rearviewmirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one user actuatableelement comprises at least one of a user actuatable button, a touchsensor and a proximity sensor.
 15. The interior rearview minor assemblyof claim 1, wherein said minor assembly includes at least one accessoryassociated therewith.
 16. The interior rearview minor assembly of claim15, wherein said accessory is associated with a moisture sensor fordetecting moisture on an interior surface of the vehicle windshield. 17.The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein saidaccessory activates a blower motor of a heating, ventilation and airconditioning system of the vehicle in response to a threshold level ofmoisture being detected.
 18. The interior rearview mirror assembly ofclaim 16, wherein said moisture sensor comprises a capacitive moisturesensor for detecting surface condensation.
 19. The interior rearviewmirror assembly of claim 15, wherein said accessory comprises a cabinair monitoring device that monitors the air within the cabin of thevehicle.
 20. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 19, whereinsaid cabin air monitoring device monitors the level of carbon monoxidepresent in the air within the cabin of the vehicle.
 21. The interiorrearview mirror assembly of claim 20, wherein said accessory is operablein response to a detection of a carbon monoxide level within the cabinof the vehicle exceeding a threshold level.
 22. The interior rearviewmirror assembly of claim 21, wherein said accessory is operable to atleast one of activate an alert, deactivate the engine, and open at leastone window of the vehicle in response to the detection of carbonmonoxide exceeding said threshold level.
 23. The interior rearviewmirror assembly of claim 20, wherein said accessory comprises an airintake.
 24. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 23, whereinsaid air intake comprises a fan assisted intake.
 25. The interiorrearview mirror assembly of claim 20, wherein said accessory isassociated with a remote ignition system of the vehicle.
 26. Theinterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 20, wherein said airmonitoring device is associated with a humidity sensing device thatdetects a humidity level within the cabin of the vehicle.
 27. Theinterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 26, wherein said accessorycontrols a blower motor of a heating, ventilation and air conditioningsystem of the vehicle in response to a detection of the humidity levelexceeding a threshold level.
 28. An interior rearview mirror assemblyfor a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising: acasing, said easing formed of a molded plastic material in a moldingoperation; at least one portion of said casing adapted in said moldingoperation to provide a user actuatable element, said user actuatableelement integrally formed at said portion of said easing during saidmolding operation that forms said casing; said user actuatable clementcomprising a molded plastic material body portion and a molded plasticmaterial flexible portion, said molded plastic material flexible portionconnecting said molded plastic material body portion to the remainder ofsaid casing so that said body portion is movable relative to theremainder of said casing via flexing of said flexible portion when saiduser actuatable element is actuated by a user pressing said bodyportion; circuitry disposed within said casing and having an electricalactuation switch located generally proximate to and rearward of saidbody portion of said user actuatable element; and said electricalactuation switch of said circuitry being actuatable by a user of thevehicle pressing said body portion whereby movement of said body portionvia flexing of said flexible portion causes said body portion to contactsaid electrical actuation switch to actuate said electrical actuationswitch.
 29. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 28, whereinsaid user actuatable element is at least partially at a rear casingportion of said casing.
 30. The interior rearview mirror assembly ofclaim 29, wherein said circuitry is disposed on a printed circuit board.31. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 29, wherein saidcircuitry comprises compass circuitry.
 32. The interior rearview mirrorassembly of claim 29, wherein said rear casing portion comprises a rearcap portion that attaches to a bezel portion of said casing.
 33. Theinterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 28, wherein said casingcomprises a resinous material and said at least one user actuatableinput comprises said resinous material.
 34. The interior rearview mirrorassembly of claim 33, wherein said user actuatable element includes ahinge established of said resinous material.
 35. The interior rearviewmirror assembly of claim 34, wherein said resinous material comprises anolefin material.
 36. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 34,wherein said resinous material comprises a polypropylene material. 37.The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 28, wherein said bodyportion of said at least one user actuatable element comprises a surfacefinish that is different than a surface finish of said casing.
 38. Theinterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 28, wherein said circuitrycomprises compass circuitry and wherein said electrical actuation switchoperates a calibration control and a zone control of said compasscircuitry.
 39. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, saidinterior rearview mirror assembly comprising: a casing, said casingcomprising a molded plastic material; said casing having a useractuatable element thereat, said user actuatable element beingintegrally formed at a portion of said casing during the moldingoperation that forms said casing; circuitry disposed within said casing,said at least one user actuatable input being actuatable by a user tooperate an element of said circuitry; wherein said user actuatableelement comprises a molded plastic user actuated portion that is movablevia flexing of a molded plastic flexible portion of said user actuatableelement relative to the remainder of said casing so that said useractuated portion is movable when said user actuatable element isactuated by a user pressing said user actuated portion; said element ofsaid circuitry being located generally proximate to and rearward of saiduser actuated portion of said user actuatable element; and said elementof said circuitry being actuatable by a user of the vehicle pressingsaid user actuated portion of said user actuatable element.
 40. Theinterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 39, wherein said circuitry isdisposed on a printed circuit board.
 41. The intoner rearview mirrorassembly of claim 39, wherein said user actuatable element includes atleast one actuating portion that is insert molded with said portion ofsaid casing.
 42. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 39,wherein said user actuatable element is at least partially at a bezelportion of said easing.
 43. The interior rearview mirror assembly ofclaim 39, wherein said user actuatable element is at least partially ata rear casing portion of said casing.
 44. The interior rearview minorassembly of claim 43, wherein said rear casing portion comprises a rearcap portion that supports at least one electrical element thercat. 45.The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 39, wherein said casingcomprises a resinous material and said user actuatable element comprisessaid resinous material.
 46. The interior rearview mirror assembly ofclaim 45, wherein said user actuatable element includes a hingeestablished of said resinous material.
 47. The interior rearview mirrorassembly of claim 45, wherein said resinous material comprises an olefinmaterial.
 48. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 45, whereinsaid resinous material comprises a polypropylene material.
 49. Theinterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 39, wherein said useractuated portion includes an insert portion.
 50. The interior rearviewmirror assembly of claim 49, wherein said insert portion comprises atleast one of a translucent insert portion and a printed insert portion.51. The interior rearview minor assembly of claim 39, wherein said useractuatable element comprises at least one of a user actuatable button, atouch sensor and a proximity sensor.
 52. The interior rearview minorassembly of claim 39, wherein said mirror assembly includes at least oneaccessory associated therewith.